Notre Dame Partners with Agilent for Wireless Research

As part of the collaboration, a testing facility has been created at the institute "with real-time, broadband signal generation and channel emulation for MIMO wireless systems with up to four transmitter antennas and four receiver antennas," according to information released by the school.

MIMO technologies use multiple antennas at both the transmitter and the receiver, along with signal processing techniques, to improve data transfer speeds and range, as well as signal fidelity, without boosting the transmission power.

The new facility will allow researchers at the institute to test new designs in a variety of real-world simulations and "model signal propagation environments with fully parameterized, real-time emulation of multipath fading" to "help deliver more robust wireless solutions," according a news release about the partnership.

"We are extremely grateful for Agilent’s generous donation of a 4x4 MIMO channel emulation system," said Thomas Pratt, research associate professor in the Wireless Institute and the Department of Electrical Engineering. "This equipment will greatly impact the depth of applied research that the University of Notre Dame will be able to conduct in a number of important disciplines, including wireless communications, remote sensing, and radar. The instrumentation will also give students access to state-of-the-art experimental resources to enable training and scientific investigation. This form of training connects theoretical underpinnings with hardware-based testing and is indispensable in the development of outstanding engineering students."

The Wireless Institute comprises 16 faculty and approximately 65 graduate and undergraduate students from across Notre Dame. Based in the College of Engineering, the institute receives approximately $2.5 million each year from external research funding.